High Cholesterol Can Trigger Prostate Cancer

High cholesterol may dramatically increase the risk of high-grade prostate cancer according to a new study. As with most cancers, prevention may be the best cure.

Prostate cancer is deadly when it’s in what is known as the “high-level” stage, where the cancer spreads rapidly into bones and lymph nodes. This the stage where the disease is most difficult to treat, even with an aggressive approach.

Now, a new study from Johns Hopkins University shows that 60 percent of high-grade prostate cancer cases are tied to high levels of cholesterol.

The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial spanned three years and included studies of more than 5,500 men, all age 55 or older. Results showed that men who had cholesterol levels less than 200 had a 60 percent lower risk of high-grade prostate cancer.

A man doesn’t have to be obese to have high cholesterol. But it seems men of all shapes can reduce their risk of prostate cancer by using the same methods.

These include exercise and a diet high in fruits, vegetables and grains that keep cholesterol levels below 200. The sooner in life they make this a priority, the healthier, and longer, their lives are likely to be.